AG, Minister Indar celebrate Maha Shivaratri at Cove and John Ashram
Attorney General and Minister of Legal Affairs, Mohabir Anil Nandlall S.C., M.P., along with Minister within the Ministry of Public Works, Deodat Indar, M.P., on Monday, joined Guyanese in the celebration of Maha Shivaratri.
The ministers attended the festivity at the Cove and John Ashram (Hindu College), East Coast Demerara.
Maha Shivaratri is a Hindu festival celebrated annually in honour of Lord Shiva. The day marks the remembrance of overcoming darkness and ignorance.
During his remark, AG Nandall said Hinduism remains one of the oldest religions on earth and stronger now in Guyana, noting that Hindus are more fortunate and are benefitting equally from the resources and opportunities Guyana offers.
“We in Guyana the Hindus and generally the descendance of the indenture servants who came from India, firstly we were offered an opportunity to preserve our culture and religion, something not afforded to other groupings who came to this land.
But we took the greatest advantage of that opportunity, and we indoctrinated, inculcated and received our lessons, religious practices, rituals, dogmas, precepts, concepts from the great books and along with the cultural component that it all comes with,” the AG underscored.
He reiterated that Guyana is at the cusp for major economic take off and young Guyanese must take advantage of the unfolding opportunities.
“You have to take over that mantle that our fore parents handed to us and today you and I are fortunate to be living during this time in our country. What our fore parent sacrificed for, what they died for, what they bled for, what they struggled for, we now are the generation closet proximately positioned to achieve that goal and that is a modern prosperous, rich and united Guyana.”
Further, he said it is the duty of this generation to continue the rich legacy which thier fore parents imbued.
“And so many young faces are before me that confirm that fact. What we have been able to do historically also is to ensure in our introspection, in our application, of our religious precepts and concepts, we have been able to learn from our history, learn the lesson from the past and inculcate that, use that in our proception in going forward.”
During his feature address, Minister Indar said persons should use the time to pray against all evil and sinful acts. He also urged those present to adopt a conscience and winning mentality.
“As we pray, we should ask for some simple things, the ability to correct ourself a lot of us something don’t like corrections. We must pray for the fairness in our dealings with other people. A lot of time when we deal with other people, we want the best for us and not the other person.
We must pray to take the right path, these days from time to time we slip and we go into different direction that doesn’t serve ourself well, our neighbours, families. We must pay as well for good health,” the minister stressed.
Indian High Commissioner to Guyana, Dr. K.J. Srinivasa also participated in the ceremony.
“We will stand with you for any such purpose which is for the greater glory of mother India and we will try to see if we can…that when you finish you CXC or CSEC Exams you do have certain scholarships to study in India, fully paid by the Government of India,” the High Commissioner highlighted.